Minister of Justice and Others v Estate Stransham-Ford
Jurisdiction | South Africa |
Citation | 2017 (3) SA 152 (SCA) |
Minister of Justice and Others v Estate Stransham-Ford
2017 (3) SA 152 (SCA)
2017 (3) SA p152
Citation |
2017 (3) SA 152 (SCA) |
Case No |
531/2015 |
Court |
Supreme Court of Appeal |
Judge |
Lewis JA, Seriti JA, Wallis JA, Dambuza JA and Schippers AJA |
Heard |
December 6, 2016 |
Judgment |
December 6, 2016 |
Counsel |
L Nkosi-Thomas SC (with S Poswa-Lenotholi and N Mgcina) for the first to third appellants, the Ministers of Justice and Health, and the National Director of Public Prosecutions. |
Flynote : Sleutelwoorde B
Medicine — Euthanasia — Assisted suicide — High Court order that doctor could administer or prescribe lethal agent to end terminally ill man's life — Order set aside.
C Medicine — Euthanasia — Assisted suicide — Legality of physician administered euthanasia and physician assisted suicide — Survey of South African and foreign law.
Headnote : Kopnota
Mr Stransham-Ford, who had terminal cancer, applied for and obtained an order that a doctor could administer or prescribe a lethal agent to end his life; [*] D that the doctor would be exempted from criminal or disciplinary proceedings; and that the common law be developed to allow for such euthanasia or assisted suicide (see [4]). Unbeknownst though to the judge, Mr Stransham-Ford had died two hours before the granting of the order. Here, the Ministers of Justice and Health, the National Director of Public Prosecutions, E and the Health Professions Council of South Africa appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which set aside the order for the following reasons.
Mr Stransham-Ford's cause of action died with him, and on his death there was no claim that could be passed to his estate or that could be adjudicated upon by the court. This was not disturbed by the fact that his case raised F constitutional issues (see [19] – [21]).
The order was based on an inadequate consideration of, and a misunderstanding of the law, and the issues were insufficiently canvassed. So, for instance, in relation to euthanasia, there was no consideration whether the position on consent should be changed; and the cases did not suggest that assisting suicide would be unlawful in all circumstances (see [28] – [29], G [41], [54], [57], [69] – [71] and [73] – [74]).
The factual basis for the order was not established. Thus, Stransham-Ford's prediction of the manner of his death absent assisted suicide or euthanasia was not confirmed; nor was his mental capacity or willingness to go through with either course (indeed this was disconfirmed by later evidence); and there was no evidence that there was a doctor willing to assist (see [5], H [81] – [83], [85] and [89]). There was, in addition, inadequate evidence on which to decide the constitutional issues (see [95], [97] and [100]).
Appeal upheld, and order set aside (see [104]).
Cases cited
Southern Africa
Argus Printing and Publishing Co Ltd and Others v Esselen's Estate 1994 (2) SA 1 (A) ([1994] 2 All SA 160): referred to I
Bernstein and Others v Bester and Others NNO 1996 (2) SA 751 (CC) (1996 (4) BCLR 449; [1996] ZACC 2): referred to
2017 (3) SA p153
Bruce and Another v Fleecytex Johannesburg CC and Others A 1998 (2) SA 1143 (CC) (1998 (4) BCLR 415; [1998] ZACC 3): dictum in para [8] applied
Carmichele v Minister of Safety and Security and Another (Centre for Applied Legal Studies Intervening) 2001 (4) SA 938 (CC) (2002 (1) SACR 79; 2001 (10) BCLR 995; [2001] ZACC 22): referred to
Clarke v Hurst NO and Others 1992 (4) SA 630 (D): referred to B
Director of Public Prosecutions, Transvaal v Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Others 2009 (4) SA 222 (CC) (2009 (2) SACR 130; 2009 (7) BCLR 637; [2009] ZACC 8): followed
Everfresh Market Virginia (Pty) Ltd v Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd 2012 (1) SA 256 (CC) (2012 (3) BCLR 219; [2011] ZACC 30): referred to
Ex parte Die Minister van Justisie: In re S v Grotjohn 1970 (2) SA 355 (A): considered C
Executors of Meyer v Gericke 1880 Foord 14: referred to
Fischer and Another v Ramahlele and Others 2014 (4) SA 614 (SCA) ([2014] ZASCA 88): referred to
Government of the Republic of South Africa v Ngubane 1972 (2) SA 601 (A): referred to D
Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe v Fick and Others 2013 (5) SA 325 (CC) (2013 (10) BCLR 1103; [2013] ZACC 22): referred to
Hoffa NO v SA Mutual Fire & General Insurance Co Ltd 1965 (2) SA 944 (C): referred to
Independent Electoral Commission v Langeberg Municipality 2001 (3) SA 925 (CC) (2001 (9) BCLR 883; [2001] ZACC 23): referred to E
Jankowiak and Another v Parity Insurance Co Ltd 1963 (2) SA 286 (W): referred to
MEC for Education, KwaZulu-Natal, and Others v Pillay 2008 (1) SA 474 (CC) (2008 (2) BCLR 99; [2007] ZACC 21): referred to
Mighty Solutions t/a Orlando Service Station v Engen Petroleum Ltd and Another 2016 (1) SA 621 (CC) (2016 (1) BCLR 28; [2015] ZACC 34): F dictum in para [39] applied
Minister of Police v Mboweni and Another 2014 (6) SA 256 (SCA) ([2014] 4 All SA 452; [2014] ZASCA 107): referred to
Minister of Safety and Security and Another v Carmichele 2004 (3) SA 305 (SCA) (2004 (2) BCLR 133; [2003] 4 All SA 565; [2000] ZASCA 149): referred to G
National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality and Others v Minister of Home Affairs and Others 2000 (2) SA 1 (CC) (2000 (1) BCLR 39; [1999] ZACC 17): dictum in fn 18 applied
Pheko and Others v Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality 2012 (2) SA 598 (CC) (2012 (4) BCLR 388; [2011] ZACC 34): referred to
Pienaar and Marais v Pretoria Printing Works Ltd and Others 1906 TS 654: H referred to
Prince v President, Cape Law Society, and Others 2001 (2) SA 388 (CC) (2001 (1) SACR 217; 2001 (2) BCLR 133; [2000] ZACC 28): dictum in paras [12] – [16] and [22] applied
Qoboshiyane NO and Others v Avusa Publishing Eastern Cape (Pty) Ltd and Others 2013 (3) SA 315 (SCA) ([2012] ZASCA 166): referred to I
R v Peverett 1940 AD 213: considered
S v De Bellocq 1975 (3) SA 538 (T): referred to
S v Gordon 1962 (4) SA 727 (N): considered
S v Hartmann 1975 (3) SA 532 (C): referred to
S v Hibbert 1979 (4) SA 717 (D): referred to
S v Marengo 1991 (2) SACR 43 (W): referred to J
2017 (3) SA p154
S v Nkwanyana 2003 (1) SA 303 (W): referred to A
S v Robinson and Others 1968 (1) SA 666 (A): considered
S v Smorenburg 1992 (2) SACR 389 (C): referred to
S v Williams 1986 (4) SA 1188 (A): referred to
South African Associated Newspapers Ltd and Another v Estate Pelser 1975 (4) SA 797 (A): referred to
Stoffberg v Elliot 1923 CPD 148: referred to B
Stransham-Ford v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Others 2015 (4) SA 50 (GP): reversed on appeal
Willenburg v Willenburg and Another (1908) 25 SC 775: dictum at 777 applied.
Canada
Carter v Canada (Attorney General) 2012 BCSC 886 (Can LII): referred to C
Carter v Canada (Attorney General) 2015 SCC 5: referred to
Malette v Shulman (1990) 72 OR (2d) 417: referred to
Nancy B v Hôtel-Dieu de Québec (1992) 86 DLR (4th) 385: referred to
Rodriguez v British Columbia (Attorney General) [1993] 3 SCR 519 D (1993 Can LII 75 (SCC)): referred to.
England
Airedale NHS Trust v Bland 1993 AC 789 (HL): referred to
Pretty v Director of Public Prosecutions [2001] UKHL 61: referred to
R (on the application of Nicklinson and another) v Ministry of Justice [2014] UKSC 38: E referred to
R v Adams 1957 Crim LR 365: referred to
R v Kennedy [2007] UKHL 38: referred to.
European Court of Human Rights
Gross v Switzerland (2014) 58 EHRR 7: referred to
Haas v Switzerland (2011) 53 EHRR 33: referred to F
Koch v Germany (2014) 58 EHRR 6: referred to
Pretty v United Kingdom (2002) 35 EHRR 1: referred to.
Ireland
Fleming v Ireland [2013] IESC 19: referred to.
New Zealand G
Auckland Area Health Board v Attorney-General [1993] 1 NZLR 235 (HC): referred to
Seales v Attorney-General [2015] NZHC 1239: referred to.
United States of America H
Baxter v State of Montana 2009 MT 449: referred to
Cruzan v Director, Missouri Department of Health 497 US 261 (1990): referred to
Greenlaw v United States 128 S Ct 2559 (2008): referred to
In re Joseph G 667 P 2d 1176 (SC California 1983): referred to
In the matter of Karen Quinlan 70 NJ 10; 355 A 2d 647 (NJ 1976): referred to I
Morris v Brandenburg New Mexico Supreme Court case No S-1-SC-35478: referred to
Re Conroy 486 A 2d 1209 (NJSC 1985): referred to
Schloendorff v Society of New York Hospital (1914) 105 NE 92: referred to
Spectator Motor Service Inc v Walsh 139 F 2d 809 (1944): referred to J
2017 (3) SA p155
United States v Samuels 808 F 2d 1298 (8th Cir 1987): dictum at 1301 followed A
Washington v Glucksberg 521 US 702 (1997): referred to.
Case Information
L Nkosi-Thomas SC (with S Poswa-Lerotholi and N Mgcina) for the first to third appellants, the Ministers of Justice and Health, and the National Director of Public Prosecutions. B
CH van Bergen (with AJ D'Oliviera) for the fourth appellant, the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
HB Marais SC (with HP van Nieuwenhuizen and CA du Plessis) for the respondent, the estate of Mr Stransham-Ford.
RS Willis (with T Mafukidze and A Schluep) for the first amicus curiae, C Doctors...
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